“The connections you make, even by giving people a plate of nachos, encourages patrons to become
involved with our growth. . . . If you really want to have fun working at Shadowbox, you don’t just
take orders but spend time with patrons. And that pays off in droves.”

What also pays off for Shadowbox are Anderson and Wolfe’s winning personalities.

“Both of them are endearing people. Patrons instantly like them, and that’s important for anyone
on the wait staff,” said Nikki Fagin, a Shadowbox senior manager.

“You can always count on Brandon to build the energy up on the floor and make patrons laugh,”
she said. “And we were all so happy when Harley came on board because he’s such a nice guy.”

Anderson, 34, appears in several sketches in
Hoopla and sings
Children Go Where I Send Thee.

In a sketch about a TV disc jockey hyping popular music acts, Anderson plays an African drummer
who appears in a Simon & Garfunkel segment.

“The premise is that Simon & Garfunkel aren’t friends anymore because Paul found new African
friends. My face is serious but not angry as I come out as a stoic drummer playing a solo drum
piece as one of his new African friends,” Anderson said.

“The fun part is getting out there and beating a drum with my intensity of expression but
without saying anything. . . . The point is to give 100 percent of yourself onstage every
time."

Anderson plays a choir director in “Puck and Misty Go Caroling,” a sketch about a Christmas
caroling group infiltrated by the unsophisticated couple. Puck and Misty rank among Shadowbox’s
most-popular continuing characters.

“The choir director, rooted in traditional choral experiences, is excited about getting Puck
(David Whitehouse) and Misty (Amy Lay) into the fold because they’re so full of energy,” Anderson
said.

His first performance in a comedy sketch came last summer when he played a construction worker
in a
Lunch Box show. In this year’s
Holiday Lunchbox, Wolfe played the guitar and appeared as an attack dog in the sketch “
Santa’s Secret Service.”

“I’ve learned a lot,” he said.

“Sometimes you think you’re being too loud when you’re not loud enough.

“And timing is key. One day you can have a laugh, and the next day in the same sketch you don’t
get a laugh, because different audiences have different personalities.”

During weekdays, Anderson is assistant director of operations and executive assistant to
producer Stev Guyer.

“Managing the schedules of about 54 full- and part-time employees and artists can be a bit of a
juggling act, with all the rehearsals, auditions, rewrites and creative meetings while keeping the
phones answered,” Anderson said.

Before shows, Wolfe answers the phones and is part of the team that keeps the bar stocked.

“My work ethic has shot up because you do everything around here,” Wolfe said. “You can’t drag
your feet at Shadowbox.”

His trickiest moment in
Hoopla comes during the Santa Babies’ finale.

“When they close with Bon Jovi’s
Livin’ on a Prayer, I walk to the other side of the stage and play a very iconic solo on
top of a chair,” Wolfe said.

“It’s nerve-racking, but it’s a great way to close the show, and also my proudest moment.”